Best Mobile Phone Network in Ireland

John Dough · 28-05-2013 10:04pm

I use the phone and Internet data quite a lot throughout the country and I find best signal :O2 second :Voda third

fourth :Meteor strictly speaking Tesco and Lyca/Toggle should be the same as O2 . Value for me First O2 second Three third Meteor Fourth Voda, Monthly on O2 24euro 150 minutes 150 texts to ANY network 700mb data shared with tablet and have never gone over limit and I can set my Max spend. The others I use as PAYG and three seems the best value at the moment but like all prices keep checking them.Roaming is cheapest with toggle as you get free incoming calls whereever you are in Europe plus landline calls 3p a minute texts 9p. Lyca are cheap for PAYG with 1C a minute to landlines in a few countries and 2cent to mobiles and they will send you out a free sim card in the post,data with them various bundles like 30 days for 9.99 for 1gig or unlimited calls /texts/data for 29euro a month ,that will take some beating!!

charlemont · 28-05-2013 10:08pm

Why isn't Tesco Mobile on this poll ?

rat catcher · 14-06-2013 1:45pm

I was with 02 and thought they were very good until I had a problem with customer care years ago and changed to three when they started up in Ireland and found them a lot cheaper. I had a few signal problems at the start but put it down to just being a new company. My current contract is up very soon (suprised they havent been on yet about an upgrade!!:rolleyes:)and was thinking about tesco mobile. What is the signal and customer care like??

jay93 · 14-06-2013 8:18pm

rat catcher wrote: »

I was with 02 and thought they were very good until I had a problem with customer care years ago and changed to three when they started up in Ireland and found them a lot cheaper. I had a few signal problems at the start but put it down to just being a new company. My current contract is up very soon (suprised they havent been on yet about an upgrade!!:rolleyes:)and was thinking about tesco mobile. What is the signal and customer care like??

Signal on Tesco will be the same as o2 as they use the o2 network to provide services.i found Tesco customer care to be the best of all networks I have dealt with their data speeds can be slow at times though which is why im on Three.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:21pm

Cheapest for Data is by far Three... probably the worst for customer service... not great for coverage in many places either... but if cheap is what you want... especially for Data... you can not beat three...

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:24pm

Meteor offer "unlimited" data now too, even on PAYG. The problem with 3 is their network is **** and non-3 supplied phones are not supported.

Have to laugh at the blatant vodafone shill on last page. Vodafone might have decent coverage but they are BRUTALLY EXPENSIVE.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:25pm

srsly78 wrote: »

Meteor offer "unlimited" data now too, even on PAYG. The problem with 3 is their network is **** and non-3 supplied phones are not supported.

It's hardly unlimited though...

and...

“The Unlimited Add On ” is offered in units of 7,5GB for 30 days at €9.99 on a recurring basis.

The Unlimited Add On has a fair usage data allowance of 7.5GB. Any usage above 7.5GB will be charged at standard rates from the particular Meteor plan or offer you are currently availing of .

The ” Meteor Prepay Unlimited Add On”will automatically be applied to your account each thirty days unless you unsubscribe from your data add on.
The ” Meteor Prepay Unlimited Add On” will expire in its entirety on August 31st 2014, at which stage the allowance contained within the bundle will revert to 1GB.

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:27pm

Well neither is 3s.

3 don't even have a 2g network, so won't work indoors most of the time. 5 years later they still haven't fixed their network problems.

Unlimited data is not a big deal really I find, mobile data is not broadband. You just want to be able to use your smartphone anytime you want without extra charges. With 3 this is not possible because they are so badly congested.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:28pm

srsly78 wrote: »

Well neither is 3s.

3 don't even have a 2g network, so won't work indoors most of the time. 5 years later they still haven't fixed their network problems.

I've never once been charged for data more than my plan and am a very heavy data user... meteor is a tenner a month for 1GB.. then... pay through the nose..

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:29pm

They released a new offer last month, tenner a month for unlimited.

Where I live currently ONLY meteor have signal, so there is no choice really. I did try 3 in the past when living in Dublin and it was worse than useless. See the 3 forum for many many people making the same complaints I had years ago.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:31pm

srsly78 wrote: »

They released a new offer last month, tenner a month for unlimited.

Where I live currently ONLY meteor have signal, so there is no choice really. I did try 3 in the past when living in Dublin and it was worse than useless. See the 3 forum for many many people making the same complaints I had years ago.

What I just quoted is from their website... it's a promo offer that expires in a few months... unlike the contract.

As for three complaints... you SHOULD recognise me from there....

They're an awful awful company, and their customer support and coverage is atrocious... BUT... if they cover you, and you want a lot of data for cheap... and don't mind they're ****e customer service... they're unbeatable...

but that's a lot of 'ifs".

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:34pm

I tried 3 - it doesn't work. So myself and many others moved to another network. If they actually fixed their network and provided signal in my current area they might be an option. Nevermind my current area, it wouldn't even work in Dublin city center when I tried...

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:35pm

Re Meteor:

http://www.meteor.ie/unlimited-data/

and the fine print at the bottom of the page says:

Offer ends 31st May 2014. Fair usage allowance of 7.5GB monthly applies.
Terms & conditions.

if you click through it says:

The ” Meteor Prepay Unlimited Add On” will expire in its entirety on August 31st 2014, at which stage the allowance contained within the bundle will revert to 1GB.

http://www.meteor.ie/terms_and_conditions/meteor-prepay-unlimited-add-on-feb-2014/

Always read the fine print.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:35pm

srsly78 wrote: »

I tried 3 - it doesn't work. So myself and many others moved to another network. If they actually fixed their network I and provided signal in my current area they might be an option.

That's why I have repeatedly said:

if they cover you,

gingernut79 · 12-04-2014 5:36pm

When it comes to sim only three's 20 odd quid a month cant be beaten if you want a decent pile of data. the other networks are all running around 30 euro pm with far less data. I live in the sticks and have tons better coverage than my husband who's on Vodafone.

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:37pm

They don't cover anyone not standing outdoors next to a 3 mast. It did't work for me in Dublin city center.

It's not just about coverage, it's about their ****ty domestic roaming setup requiring custom firmware - thus not supporting phones unless directly sold by 3.

I live in the sticks, and 17mbit DSL is available. "Mobile broadband" is no substitute for a landline connection.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:40pm

srsly78 wrote: »

They don't cover anyone not standing outdoors next to a 3 mast. It did't work for me in Dublin city center.

It's not just about coverage, it's about their ****ty domestic roaming setup requiring custom firmware - thus not supporting phones unless directly sold by 3.

If you go look through the threads you'll see I have no love for three... and in fact relentlessly mock and deride them...

BUT

They do absolutely have coverage in Dublin... I use my phone every day and it works... if it didn't they'd have no customers...

as far as firmware... this is one of those android phone issues I've managed to avoid by having an iPhone... lucky me...

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:41pm

The issue affected the iphone in the past as you are well aware, with 3 blaming apple and vice versa. They did sort it at least. It's not an android issue, it's because of 3 not having a 2g network.

It's blatant false advertising - they sell sim only contracts. But don't support non-3 phones!? No other network has this issue, and 3 have never admitted it. I know many people that seem to think it's normal to toggle airplane mode everytime they want to use data.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:48pm

srsly78 wrote: »

The issue affected the iphone in the past as you are well aware, with 3 blaming apple and vice versa. They did sort it at least. It's not an android issue, it's because of 3 not having a 2g network.

It's blatant false advertising - they sell sim only contracts. But don't support non-3 phones!? No other network has this issue, and 3 have never admitted it. I know many people that seem to think it's normal to toggle airplane mode everytime they want to use data.

We have two iPhones in our house and have no such issues... saying that... at one point Three's stupid as dirt customer service told me I couldn't use 3G if my wifi was turned on... of course that's total BS...

At any rate... I have two iPhones, I use them to make calls all over Dublin... it's fine... not great, but fine... for the cost...

The data is fine as well... not 4G - even where the map claims it is - but fine... I drive around town listening to streaming radio with almost no issues...

NOW... I do have issues with texts not showing up for hours sometimes...

And their customer service is like a punch in the face most of the time...

And they're ruthlessly dishonest... and will walk a mile to screw their customers... BUT... I mostly use a lot of data and refuse to pay 30-40€ on top of my phone bill for data.....

As soon as ANY other company offers that, I will jump ship to them... on that day... with both of my accounts...

until then, I just suffer through...

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 5:55pm

If you are a taxi driver or something when I can see why you need so much data. With myself I just use wifi most of the time, so even paying e10/month for 7.5GB is silly.

I was with vodafone last year, expensive but works ok. Got it free for a year as well, because I kicked up a fuss when they lied to me about roaming charges etc. Once that ran out I switched

Don't take any **** from mobile companies, complain to Comreg etc - you will probably end up getting compensation.

MilanPan!c · 12-04-2014 5:58pm

srsly78 wrote: »

If you are a taxi driver or something when I can see why you need so much data. With myself I just use wifi most of the time, so even paying e10/month for 7.5GB is silly.

I was with vodafone last year, expensive but works ok. Got it free for a year as well, because I kicked up a fuss when they lied to me about roaming charges etc. Once that ran out I switched

Don't take any **** from mobile companies, complain to Comreg etc - you will probably end up getting compensation.

I have done in the past and you are most certainly correct... I have also reported that ridiculous three map to the regulator and have gotten official confirmation that they are looking into it... it's obviously bait and switch and false advertising... so despicable...

Saying that, three has been forced to offer me a permanent discounted rate - twice... so I pay about 25% less than the average punter for my plan... and always get free upgrades... so... it could be worse... for me personally...

the average punter, could EASILY get screwed by Three.... and probably does...

StaticNoise · 12-04-2014 6:45pm

I am very interested in why you get it 25% cheaper!

srsly78 · 12-04-2014 6:53pm

If you kick up a fuss and get comreg involved, the mobile network will usually throw you a bone to shut you up. I got about e500 worth of free usage from vodafone because they lied to me about roaming charges.

StaticNoise · 12-04-2014 6:55pm

I am not on Vodafone, but now I am jealous. I'm on Three, and loving the value, but not the network drop-out issues.

Hoping for good things following the merger.

Bob24 · 12-04-2014 7:02pm

srsly78 wrote: »

If you kick up a fuss and get comreg involved, the mobile network will usually throw you a bone to shut you up. I got about e500 worth of free usage from vodafone because they lied to me about roaming charges.

Didn't work for me. Meteor wrongly charged my data usage for several month and when I complained (on multiple occasions and in written) they always denied and said it was an issue with me not understanding my bills (whereas their were charging in a different way than what was written down on the website and on the contract I signed).

Once I got ComReg involved, they eventually admitted their mistake and refunded the overpaid amount. However they did not give me a single euro to apologise for my troubles. I did ask for it and they just stopped replying to me (and I also mentioned it to ComReg and they said they can only force the company to fix their mistake but not to provide additional compensation).

It's a rotten system really. It took me several emails and phone calls to Meteor and Comreag to get it fixed (over a few months, as even once ComReg got involved, Meteor first denied the issue), at which point most people would have given up because of the trouble. If companies don't have to provide compensation even after being proven wrong and having blatantly lied and refused to do anything until ComReg is involved, their will obviously keep pushing back whenever a customer complains (regardless of the customer being right or wrong).

My lesson learned: next time I'll go to ComReg directly and not bother discussion more than a few minutes with customer service if they don't want to listen to me.

Best Mobile Phone Network in Ireland

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